1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of data storage media holders, and particularly to the field of holders for optical disks.
2. Statement of the Problem
Information processing systems, such as mainframe computer systems, network computer systems, personal computers, require extensive data storage. This data storage is frequently required to be on media that can be easily transported and stored off-site. Data storage media is available in numerous styles and sizes of floppy disks, tape cartridges and optical disks. Data storage media is often stored in large quantities via rack systems. In order to expedite handling of these data storage media, such as optical disks, tape cartridges and the like, the media is handled by holders which can hold a plurality of media.
Typically, holders for such media are dedicated to a particular size of media. This is particularly a problem with optical disk storage. The packaging for optical disk varies, not only with differing sizes of optical disks, but also with different optical disk manufacturers. This also occurs with tape cartridges as well. Therefore it is very difficult to securely store such data storage media without dedicating particular holders for each size and each manufacturer of the data storage media.
Prior media holders are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,835, issued to Price, Jr. et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,971,199, issued to Price, Jr. et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,846,355, issued to Price, Sr. et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,844,564, issued to Price, Sr. et al. Each of these patents disclose a tape cartridge holder having compartments for storing tape cartridges. These tape cartridge holders all suffer from the above-described problems. Differing widths and sizes of media and associated packaging require either a single size of holder which can loosely hold differing sizes of media or differing sizes of holders each dedicated to a single size of media and/or packaging.
Thus a problem exists in providing secure storage for media having different sizes of packaging.
3. Solution to the Problem
The present invention solves this problem and others by providing a media holder for securely holding various sizes of data storage media in a single holder.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a media holder includes a rear wall and bottom surface. A plurality of spaced parallel flange portions extend inwardly from the rear wall and bottom surface to form compartments for storing media, such as optical disk cases or data tape cartridges. Rear biasing members extend angularly across the rear wall of each of these compartments. Bottom biasing members extend angularly across the bottom surface of each of these compartments in approximately the same direction and same angle as the rear biasing members. In the preferred embodiment, the angle of each of the rear biasing members and bottom biasing members is about thirty (30) degrees.
Mounting hook members extend outwardly from an upper portion of the rear wall of the media holder. These hook members engage slots formed in supports of a rack system to mount the media holders on the rack system. A lower abutment member extends across a lower portion of the rear wall of the media holder. The lower abutment member extends outwardly a greater distance than the mounting hook members. Thus the engagement of the media holders with the supports of the rack system causes the media holders to tilt upward slightly.
Data storage media, such as optical disk cases, are inserted into the compartments formed by the spaced flange portions. Gravity, due to the slight upward tilt of the media holder, will cause the media to slide downward against the angled surfaces of the rear biasing members and the bottom biasing members. These angled surfaces will bias the media against an adjacent flange portion. The line contact between the angled surfaces and media and the surface contact between the media and the adjacent flange portion will securely hold differing widths and sizes of media in the media holder. Thus, almost any media having a width less than the width of the compartments can be stored in a single media holder.
The present invention solves this problem with other embodiments and variations. For instance, the angle and width of the rear biasing members and the bottom biasing members can be varied. Also, one of the rear biasing member or bottom biasing member could be omitted from each of the compartments. Different mounting systems could be used on the media holders to allow use on different storage systems. Additionally, the media holder could be used in a stand-alone configuration. Other embodiments and variations besides these are considered within the scope of the inventive concept.